Representatives for Kansas State redshirt freshman Bill Walker (http://insider.espn.go.com/nbadraft/draft/tracker/player?draftyear=2008&playerId=19077) were scrambling to secure a commitment from a team drafting late in the first round after Walker injured his right knee during a workout in California this weekend.
<!-- INLINE HEADSHOT (BEGIN) -->
http://assets.espn.go.com/i/nba/draft2008/headshots/19077.jpg Walker

<!-- INLINE HEADSHOT (END) -->
Multiple sources close to Walker, and at least one who attended the workout in the Bay Area, said Sunday night that Walker would undergo another MRI on his knee Monday. Walker was one of 24 players at the Golden State Warriors' facility to work out in front of representatives from 21 NBA teams. The players in attendance were projected as being between the 20th and 45th picks.
Monday is the deadline for underclassmen who haven't hired agents to withdraw from the draft and return to school.
Walker has had multiple knee injuries during his playing career. He played in six games during the 2006-07 season before tearing his ACL in his left knee. He graduated from high school that October and became eligible for Kansas State in December. Playing as the understudy to Michael Beasley (http://insider.espn.go.com/nbadraft/draft/tracker/player?draftyear=2008&playerId=19133) on the Wildcats this season, Walker averaged 16.1 points and 6.3 rebounds.

Walker has worked out for Detroit (29th pick) and Toronto (17th). He turned down an invitation to the Orlando pre-draft camp last month.

Reached late Sunday night, Kansas State coach Frank Martin, who hadn't been informed of the extent of Walker's injury, said he was told that Walker would not decide whether to remain in the draft until just before the 5 p.m. ET deadline.

If Walker were to return to Kansas State, and is healthy, then he would surely be the focal point on the Wildcats after Beasley declared and stayed in the draft by signing with an agent. Kansas State lost to Wisconsin in the second round of the NCAA tournament after the Wildcats beat Walker's former high school and AAU teammate O.J. Mayo (http://insider.espn.go.com/nbadraft/draft/tracker/player?draftyear=2008&playerId=19129) and USC.

A year ago, Kansas guard Brandon Rush (http://insider.espn.go.com/nbadraft/draft/tracker/player?draftyear=2008&playerId=18881) suffered a torn ACL prior to the withdrawal deadline and was forced to return to KU. Rush ended up helping the Jayhawks win the national championship in April.

<!-- end page tools --><!-- begin story body --> <!-- template inline -->Kansas State Wildcats (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/clubhouse?teamId=2306) redshirt freshman Bill Walker (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=34658) will remain in the NBA draft despite injuring his right knee at a workout over the weekend, his advisor, Chris Rivers said Monday afternoon.

<!-- INLINE HEADSHOT (END) --> Rivers, the director of basketball at Reebok, said that an MRI taken Monday didn't reveal a tear of the MCL or the ACL, which was feared when Walker heard a pop prior to working out for 21 teams at the Golden State Warriors (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=gsw)' practice facility in Oakland. Rivers said he is confident that Walker will be a first-round draft pick and that this latest setback wasn't enough to keep him out of the draft. Rivers said he was going to circulate the MRI results to teams over the coming days. He said there was an injury but he termed it a minor injury.
The deadline to withdraw from the NBA draft is Monday at 5 p.m. ET.
Walker has had multiple knee injuries during his playing career. He played in six games during the 2006-07 season before tearing his ACL in his left knee. He graduated from high school that October and became eligible for Kansas State in December. Playing as the understudy to Michael Beasley (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=36671) on the Wildcats this season, Walker averaged 16.1 points and 6.3 rebounds.
Walker has worked out for Detroit (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=det), with the 29th pick, and Toronto (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=tor), with the 17th. He turned down an invitation to the Orlando (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=orl) pre-draft camp last month.

croz24

06-17-2008, 01:52 AM

great chance he's available at #41 now

Justin Tyme

06-17-2008, 07:41 AM

To bad for him, but he wasn't a Pacer option anyway. He was smart enough to not hire an agent so he can go back to school.

Maybe smart enough not to hire an agent, but not smart enough remove his name after being injured. 2nd rounders aren't guaranteed contracts.

PR07

06-17-2008, 08:02 AM

I think he has a guarantee from Detroit.

Naptown_Seth

06-18-2008, 10:46 AM

I actually see this as a bigger warning sign. I know that a kid might be anxious to get into the NBA and feel he's proven it enough to have this injury overlooked.

But given his history this reads to me more like his own fear of going back to college and having a worse knee injury. I think he looked at that option and thought that the risk of hurting his chances was too great. Given where he's projected and what he would be at Kansas St next year it sure doesn't seem like the kind of decision that's based soley on his ability.

If he thought he was fine and would remain fine next season then he'd have to see himself moving into the top 15 easily with one more year at KS St, and that would be a huge improvement in his income, even with the extra year in the NBA.

Even if Detroit has made a promise, which I question given Weaver and DJ White's situations, he'd still get paid more for 2 years by staying 1 year and moving to the top 15 (I think, roughing the math in my head).